MEDIOCREDITO CENTRALE is a financial institution which operates by agreement with and on behalf of the Italian Government. In particular, it grants loans that in certain cases can cover the total investment, or bear low interest rates. It also offers assistance and financial advice to companies which, by interacting with the national and international banking system, permits a rapid development of investment programmes. In this context, MEDIOCREDITO CENTRALE may provide the venture capital to finance new initiatives, such as investment on innovative technologies and on environmental protection technologies carried out by small and medium enterprises, in collaboration with banks operating in the field of industrial loans either through co-funding operations or through re-funding operations under facilitated market conditions. Furthermore, MEDIOCREDITO CENTRALE provides other types of financial support, such as loans which allow participation in profit sharing, etc., depending on the needs of the specific company.

SIMEST aims at giving support to Italian companies investing in those countries and fields where greater development opportunities have been identified. Its activity is focused on promotion and financing of new companies' initiatives and the industrial and commercial cooperation by Italian companies with other parties. If necessary, SIMEST participates in the company's share capital up to a maximum of 15 %. To this end, SIMEST coordinates the company's operations and its own activities with other international bodies, other than with MEDIOCREDITO CENTRALE, which grants subsidised loans financing up to 70 % of the programmed investment of those companies in which SIMEST has a participation in the share capital.